Wins Facility of the year award

By Chris Miller-Prep Sports Writer

Published: Friday, January 18, 2013 at 10:00 AM.

Sheehan elaborated on what makes the club something “people can be proud of.”

“I think the physical structure and the way the courts are laid out,” he said. “It’s the way it’s landscaped and just the aesthetic beauty of the place. We have six of the finest clay courts in North Carolina and four of them are lit. We have an absolutely beautiful clubhouse with spotless bathrooms and a fully stocked pro shop.”

But Sheehan said the club still has room to grow.

“We are still going through some growing pains, but we are making strides in the right direction,” he said. “We are trying to get to the elementary schools and get little kids started with the (United States Tennis Association). We’ve always been fairly strong in USTA league play. We are trying to offer opportunities for our members to play and take drills and to improve their game.”ite Oak Crossing, Swansboro

Tennis director Jim Sheehan shares the same goal as other employees and members of the Ole Porte Racquet Club, which is to help the complex grow.

The club, which is at 535 White Oak Crossing in Swansboro and has 75 members, has worked to turn itself into a 5-star tennis facility since it was purchased by Ronnie Watson in the fall of 2011, according to its website oleporteracquetclub.com.

“The next step is to really grow the membership to give people an opportunity to belong to an award-winning, state-of-the-art facility,” Sheehan said. “We are in the process of trying to implement programs to try to do that. Getting the word out that we are here is still one of the (issues), but we are going to still keep tooting our horn because we have a great facility to offer somebody.”

Apparently the North Carolina Tennis Association believes that, too.

The NCTA awarded Ole Porte Racquet Club as its facility of the year on Monday.

Ole Porte Racquet Club, which previously was called White Oak Tennis Club before Watson bought it, opened in 1994.

“It’s a huge accomplishment and it shows the tremendous amount of commitment that Ronnie Watson has put into the club financially,” Sheehan said. “When he decided to buy it, the upgrades of the facilities have been absolutely incredible.”

Sheehan elaborated on what makes the club something “people can be proud of.”

“I think the physical structure and the way the courts are laid out,” he said. “It’s the way it’s landscaped and just the aesthetic beauty of the place. We have six of the finest clay courts in North Carolina and four of them are lit. We have an absolutely beautiful clubhouse with spotless bathrooms and a fully stocked pro shop.”

But Sheehan said the club still has room to grow.

“We are still going through some growing pains, but we are making strides in the right direction,” he said. “We are trying to get to the elementary schools and get little kids started with the (United States Tennis Association). We’ve always been fairly strong in USTA league play. We are trying to offer opportunities for our members to play and take drills and to improve their game.”ite Oak Crossing, Swansboro